Strings Of Fate

Chapter 26

Danny spotted him and beelined towards him. Marquez stopped him with a claw on his shoulder. The colour drained from Daniel, leaving him green and grey. His eyes widened with fear, and everyone in the area could smell it. Terrence hurried over, patting Nikolai's arm as he passed. Brad had a pack of people to look after him. Mika had appeared to protect Avalon from the pack kidnapping him. 

Marquez reached out and captured him in a tight hug as if it was Terrence who needed the reassurance. If Terrence was kind, maybe it was the opposite way around. He hooped an arm up and over Marquez's shoulder and gently stole Daniel from him, and hugging him as tight as possible with one arm. Daniel wrapped his arms around Terrence and trembled. Marquez didn't let go of either of them. 

"Terry," Daniel breathed, voice shaking. He didn't pull away, almost trying to melt into Terry. Daniel swallowed and tried to say something, but it didn't come out. Instead, he hid his face in Terrence's shoulder. Terrence combed his fingers through his hair. 

The others moved around them, a few patting Terrence's back. Or trying to, Marquez growled and scared anyone off. Terrence stopped hugging Marquez in favour of letting the tiger drown the both of them in heat, fur and safety. 

Mika and Nikolai argued in the background. Madame wasn't here. Or they were, but they weren't interacting with anyone. Terrence counted his heartbeats as Avalon struggled against his captor. Blood covered too many people, including Marquez's muzzle. Daniel saw them do it. Terrence shuddered and rubbed his back.

He didn't know what to do.

"I'll take Daniel home," Terrence said, his voice not connecting to himself. 

They wouldn't want him to leave them, them to leave. Saying the words might trip everything up, and everything good about the last hour would vanish under fear again. He trusted them. He did, and that was the problem. The circus came first, always. They wouldn't hurt him or Daniel intentionally if they decided not to take risks. Daniel saw them kill people. Daniel, potential or not, was a danger to the circus if he said the wrong thing to the wrong person. 

Daniel trembled under his arms, and Marquez shook around them. Daniel because he was terrified. Marquez because he was nervous, perhaps? They didn't let people see that side of them. 

"Please don't."

Well, it wasn't a 'No' or worse. Not an 'ok' either, but Terrence could work with it. Terrence leaned against Marquez to reassure the tiger that he and Daniel were safe. He kissed Daniel's hair as his breathing hitched. Daniel didn't want to be any closer to a hybrid. Terrence searched for Sanvish, needing backup, but the man stood next to the arguing pair, holding them back as Nikolai squared up to Mika. Mika didn't need the help.  That didn't stop the gut instinct when watching the wolf try to intimidate someone smaller than him. 

"You want us to stay here, but that's not a good idea right now. Daniel watched you deal with them," Terrence pointed out, keeping his voice low. Everything turned a little floaty, but Terrence gripped to reality. Too many emotions and people buzzed around him, and Daniel needed him to stay calm. 

Marquez didn't need him, but his instinct would be roaring at him to keep his weaker pack - Pride? Ambush? - family members safe. Terrence couldn't underestimate that. 

"We told him to close his eyes."

"Did you?"

The body in his arm shook his head. Marquez slumped in defeat. 

"There you go," Terrence nudged both of them. "Daniel needs to go home tonight. We're in sight. You can cope. And wash."

Marquez held them tighter but didn't nuzzle like he normally would. The reminder that blood covered him held the tiger back from doing his normal show of affection. "Running away won't help," Marquez said, a slight rumble in his throat. Normal actions here would be to wipe the person's memory with Madame's magic or put them in the cell and keep them.